In New Zealand, life imprisonment is mandatory for treason and for murder, except in the case of mercy killing or where there is evidence of prolonged and severe abuse, and is the maximum sentence for manslaughter and Class A drug dealing. Prior to 30 June 2002 there were no exceptions to life imprisonment for murder.
Parole under New Zealand law is no longer automatic, and though it is theoretically possible for defendants sentenced to life imprisonment or to preventive detention to remain in prison for the rest of their natural life, in reality it is unheard of for a prisoner to die of old age in prison, as most are paroled.
The minimum period of imprisonment must be at least 10 years, or at least 17 years if the prisoner has been convicted of murder involving a high level of violence, premeditated murder, contract killing, multiple/serial murder, or the murder of a police officer or public official. If the case warrants it, the sentencing judge may fix a longer minimum period of imprisonment, or in the most extreme cases, refuse to fix a minimum period of imprisonment, which means that the prisoner will spend the remainder of their life in prison. No prisoners in New Zealand have yet been sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.
The longest minimum period of imprisonment on a sentence of life imprisonment is 30 years, currently being served by William Dwane Bell, who shot dead the Panmure RSA club president, a club member and the club's cleaner, and also seriously injured another club employee during an armed robbery at the Panmure RSA clubrooms in the early hours of December 8, 2001. Bell was initially jailed for a minimum period of imprisonment of 33 years, which was reduced by three years on appeal.[1]
The longest minimum period of imprisonment for a single murder was 23 years, which was given to Liam James Reid, who raped and murdered Emma Agnew in Christchurch in November 2007. Reid was initially jailed for a minimum non-parole period of 26 years, which was reduced by three years on appeal.[2]
The longest minimum period of imprisonment for a woman is 19 years, currently being served by Tracy Jean Goodman for the murder of pensioner Mona Morriss in the course of a burglary in Marton in January 2005.[3]
There is also provision for an indefinite sentence of preventive detention, which is handed out for crimes other than treason, murder or manslaughter; since 2002, this has handed down to repeat sexual offenders and serious violent recidivist offenders. Preventive detention has a minimum period of imprisonment of five years, but the sentencing judge can extend this if they believe that the prisoner's history warrants it.
The longest minimum period of imprisonment on a sentence of preventive detention is one of 26 years, being served by convicted killer Graeme William Burton, who murdered two people and injured four others between 1992-2007.[4] No women have yet been sentenced to preventive detention.
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